China reaches out to BJP, says wants cordial ties with India

October 16, 2009 17:26 IST

China said on Friday that it wanted cordial relations with India as its Ambassador Zhang Yan met Bharatiya Janata Party President Rajnath Singh in an effort to reach out to the main opposition party amid a war of words between the two countries.

During the meeting, the ambassador told Singh that the boundary issue was a "sensitive matter" and that there was a need for confidence building measures, sources close to the BJP chief said.

Zhang said his country wanted to have cordial relations with India and the media reports about the incursions had aggravated the matter, the sources said.

He said the Communist Party of China and the BJP should work together to play a crucial role in building confidence. Singh, on his part, conveyed his concerns over Chinese objection to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, saying it was "unfair".He also told the envoy that mutual confidence had been "dented" by the recent incursions.

At the same time, Singh said the BJP will extend full support to the Indian government in its diplomatic efforts. The meeting came in the midst of a war of words between India and China over Arunachal and New Delhi's assertiveness, reflected by its objection to Chinese participation in projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and construction of a dam on Brahmaputra river.